[ 저자서문 ] 생각해 보면 역사를 본격적으로 공부하기 시작한 지, 35년 정도 되었다. 역사에서 보통 한 세를 25~30년으로 잡으니, 한 세도 더 되는 시간 동안을 역사라는 학문을 부여잡은 셈이다. 그럼에도 “역사란 무엇인가?”라는 질문에 명확한 답변을 내놓지 못하고, 그 저 개념의 끄트머리만 겨우 붙잡고 있으니 스스로 생각해도 한심하기 그지없다. 다만 그간 서양사를 공부하고 가르치면서 배우고 또 얻은 몇 가지의 생각들이 있어서, 그저 버리기에는 아까워 이렇게 이리저리 엮어보게 되었다.

제1부 민주 공화국의 뿌리 : 그리스와 로마 1. 민주 정치의 기원····························································9 2. 선거구 획정과 민주 정치···············································11 3. 어려운 과정을 거쳐 나타난 민주 정치····························13 4. 그리스 7현인의 지혜와 민주 정치··································15 5. 민주 정치와 지도자·······················································17 6. 페리클레스의 추도 연설·················································20 7. 스파르타 혁명 ······························································· 22 8. 스파르타의 찬란한 가을·················································24 9. 스파르타와 메세니아 ····················································27 10. 그리스 고전기의 문화··················································29 11. 그리스인의 신을 향한 제전 - 고대 올림픽 경기 ···········36 12. 알렉산드로스와 헬레니즘 시대 ·····································39 13. 로마의 사회적 유동성··················································51 14. 역사와 정치의 상호 작용 : 로마의 로물루스 이미지·····54 15. 로마의 발전 요인························································57 16. 공화(共和)란 무엇인가? ···············································60 17. 공직자의 자세 ·····························································63 18. 로마의 ‘을(乙)들’과 그라쿠스 형제 ·······························67 19. 고대 로마의 동맹 정책················································72 20. 명예로운 보수주의자 카토···········································74 21. 로마와 그리스도교, 그리고 미트라스 ····························77 22. 그리스도교의 발전과 이단 논쟁···································81 제2부 서양 문화의 이모저모 23. 정의가 강물처럼 - 법에 대하여···································89 24. ‘오리엔트’ 문명과 신들의 탄생····································94 25. 고대 이집트 문명과 신화의 역할································104 26. 복싱의 역사 ······························································113 27. 잔인한 4월 - 아우슈비츠와 세월호····························115 28. 교황권의 대두 ···························································118 29. 이슬람교 출현의 배경················································122 30. 무하마드와 이슬람 신앙·············································131 31. 무하마드 사망 이후의 이슬람 세계····························142 32. 아더 왕과 원탁의 기사, 성배 전설·····························149 33. 수와 상징·································································160 34. 대학의 기원 ······························································169 35. 서유럽의 이슬람 침공 : 십자군 전쟁 ·························175 36. 백년 전쟁·································································185 37. 르네상스의 세 천재···················································195 38. 마녀 사냥·································································202 39. 과학혁명···································································207 40. 종교개혁과 인쇄술의 등장·········································218 41. 전체주의와 개인························································223

로마인은 다시 왕정이 돌아오는 것을 바라지 않았고, 1인이 권력을 독점하는 것은 왕정이 다시 돌아오는 것과 같다고 생각하였다. 그래서 그들은 권력을 1인이 독점하지 못하게 하였다. 그래서 최고 행정관인 집정관도 2명을 만들어 서로 견제하게 한 것이다. 그리하여 ‘권력의 분산과 견제’가 바로 공화정의 가장 큰 특징이 된다. 입법부, 사법부, 행정부로 나누고 어느 한 쪽이 권력을 독점하지 않도록 서로 견제하는 정치 체제가 ‘공화 정치’인 것이어서 우리나라도 ‘민주공화국’이 된 것이다.